In Section 3.2 we study the origin and fate of (mostly) biological organic matter across Earth history and explore new ways to gain unprecedented biological and environmental information from fossil carbon. Using inter- and multidisciplinary approaches, our research straddles the traditional boundaries of geology, biology and chemistry, and attempts to push methodological limits. On scales that range from microbial cultures to global patterns, from days to Eons, our fundamental research lines are focused on the global carbon cycle, lipid biosynthesis, climate change and evolutionary geobiology. In addition we work on more applied topics of current societal concern — amongst others on the future of fossil fuel and metal resources, petroleum contamination and remediation, and the transition to a clean energy society.
September 2021
An exciting week of talks during the first fully-virtual International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry is over. Section 3.2 did a great job with six talks given, including three plenary talks.
September 2021
Ricardo Ruiz Monroy successfully defended his PhD, themed “Organic geochemical characterization of the Yacoraite Formation: paleoenvironment and petroleum potential” at the University of Potsdam. Congratulations Dr. Ruiz Monroy!
September 2021
What role did marine ammonium play in regulating productivity in deep time? How did environmental redox-conditions modulate the ammonium pool? See our new paper in Frontiers in Earth Science.
July 2021
Toothbrush vs. Early Earth? Listen to a podcast on biofilms, featuring members of our section.
July 2021
The Ordovician Alum shale represents a prime study object for understanding the association or uranium with organic matter and assessing its effects on the alteration of molecular signatures. For more insights, see our new review paper in Earth Science Reviews.
